Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462882
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 10 NEWS ELECTION 2022 District 9 Gharghur, Msida, San ŻGwann, Swieqi, Ta' Xbiex PN holds 7 District: 2017 PL (2017) 56.18% PN (2017) 42.03% 8 District: 2017 PL (2017) 45.45% PN (2017) 52.85% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 9 District: 2017 PL (2017) 41.96% PN (2017) 56.24% AD 1.30% Others 0.50% 10th district: 2017 PL (2017) 38.06% PN (2017) 60.24% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 11 District: 2017 PL (2017) 43.04% PN (2017) 55.26% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 12 District: 2017 PL (2017) 47.50% PN (2017) 51.00% AD 0.90% Others 0.60% 13 District: 2017 PL (2017) 51.20% PN (2017) 47.80% AD 0.50% Others 0.50% District 10 Gzira, Pembroke, St Julian's, Sliema, Naxxar (p/o) PN stronghold 5 District: 2017 PL (2017) 65.73% PN (2017) 33.32% 6 District: 2017 PL (2017) 59.16% PN (2017) 39.54% AD 0.90% Others 0.40% 7 District: 2017 PL (2017) 56.18% PN (2017) 42.03% AD 1.29% Others 0.50% 8 District: 2017 PL (2017) 45.45% PN (2017) 52.85% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 9 District: 2017 PL (2017) 41.96% PN (2017) 56.24% AD 1.30% Others 0.50% 10th district: 2017 PL (2017) 38.06% PN (2017) 60.24% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 11 District: 2017 PL (2017) 43.04% PN (2017) 55.26% AD 1.20% Others 0.50% 12 District: 2017 PL (2017) 47.50% PN (2017) 51.00% AD 0.90% Others 0.60% AD 0.50% Others 0.50% PL frontrunners PL frontunners PN frontrunners EDUCATION Minister Clifton Grima and Social Justice Minister Michael Falzon are set to be the PL's two runaway candidates on this district with the biggest battle being who of them ends up with the most votes. Grima, who en- joys strong roots in Msida, is like- ly to keep the top spot and vastly improve on his 2017 tally. The PL elects two seats on the 9th District, although possibilities could open for more candidates to make it by casual election since the front run- ners are likely to get elected on two districts. The PL's candidature only had five names with newcomer Re- becca Buttigieg likely to leave her mark. Elected in 2017 Clifton Grima (30th count) Michael Falzon (30th count) – Manuel Mallia (casual election) NEWCOMER Joe Giglio, a lawyer, is set to emerge as the front runner on the 9th District, well ahead of his closest challenger, entrepre- neur and deputy leader Robert Arrigo. On this district, the PN has lost Kristy Debono, who scored an impressive 4,022 first count votes in 2017. Missing as well is Marthese Portelli who quit politics. The PN elects three MPs from this district and it remains to be seen how the surplus of Giglio's vote will be distribut- ed. Arrigo is likely to make it but the third seat could see a hot contest between several candidates, including Beppe Fenech Adami, who threw his name in the hat after Debono announced she was withdrawing her candi- dature. The survey suggests that MPs Karol Aquilina and Jason Azzopardi are unlikely to impress but given the surname advantage on the ballot sheet, they could benefit from don- key voting in a long-drawn battle for inherit- ed votes. Significant is the fact that more than half of Nationalist voters said they were still unsure who their preferred candidate was. Elected in 2017 Kristy Debono (1st count), Robert Arrigo (26th count) Marthese Portelli (29th count) The rest 1. Rebecca Buttigieg 2. Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi MP Don't know 41.4% Clifton Grima MP 29.2% Michael Falzon MP 21.1% 1. Robert Arrigo MP 2. Beppe Fenech Adami MP 3. Ivan Bartolo 4. Graham Bencini 5. Albert Buttigieg 6. Eve Borg Bonello 7. Graziella Attard Previ 8. Karl Gouder 9. Noel Muscat Don't know 51.3% Joe Giglio 24% PN frontrunners The rest The rest Don't know 38% Don't know 40.8% The rest Michael Falzon MP 25.3% Clifton Grima MP 23.7% 1. Evarist Bartolo MP 2. Joe-Etienne Abela THE 10th District will see a similar battle to that on the 9th between Education Minister Clifton Grima and Social Jus- tice Minister Michael Falzon for the top spot. However, the veteran Falzon here enjoys the comfort of his Sliema constitu- ency. Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo, who took the top spot in 2017, is likely to be pushed down into third place with a big question mark hanging over his ability to get elected on his own steam. The PL elects two MPs from this district, al- though possibilities could open through a casual election. Elected in 2017 Evarist Bartolo (32nd count) Michael Falzon (32nd count) NEWCOMER Joe Giglio is set to come out in front on this district, a Nationalist hotbed. Giglio is likely to take the top spot from depu- ty leader Robert Arrigo, who scored 4,793 first count votes in 2017. The PN elects three seats from this district, which leaves the race wide open for the rest of the pack to battle it out for the third slot. Although PN president Mark An- thony Sammut appears to enjoy a slight advan- tage, much will depend on how votes are dis- tributed when they are inherited. Of particular interest on this district will be the performance of independent candidate Arnold Cassola. It remains to be seen whether Cassola could have tapped into the 1,016 votes former PD leader Marlene Farrugia obtained on the first count in 2017 when the fledgling party contested in coalition with the PN. Farrugia ended up tak- ing one of the PN's seats by inheriting enough votes to stay long enough in the race. Whether Farrugia's vote will return solidly back to the PN or seek new pastures remains to be seen. Elected in 2017 Robert Arrigo (1st count) Marlene Farrugia (30th count) Karl Gouder (34th count) – Karol Aquilina (casual election) Marthese Portelli (29th count) Joe Giglio 26.2% Robert Arrigo MP 18.8% 1. Mark Anthony Sammut 2. Karl Gouder MP 3. Graziella Attard Previ 4. Albert Buttigieg 5. Karol Aquilina 6. Graham Bencini Front runners are those who scored a double-digit share The rest are candidates who were mentioned and registered above 1% put in rank order